Police say Tri-Cities teen murder suspect admitted to killing 70-year-old neighbor

Police say a Kennewick man was mowing his lawn when his teenage neighbor decided to kill him.

Benton County prosecutors formally charged 18-year-old Hector Munguia on Thursday with first-degree murder.

Prosecutors also are seeking a deadly weapon enhancement that could add prison time to his sentence if he’s convicted.

The teen has been in Benton County jail in lieu of $1 million bail since he turned himself in to the sheriff’s office on Monday.

The charging documents filed in Benton County Superior Court revealed little more about the Friday evening attack and the possible reason for it. Munguia allegedly told police he thought about killing his 70-year-old neighbor, Zale Underwood, for a few minutes before working up the courage to go through with it.

He told detectives that he knew it was wrong, but didn’t care, said the documents.

It’s believed he went to where Underwood was mowing his lawn on the 1100 block of Gum Street shortly before 5p.m. and stabbed him several times. He dropped the bloody knife and ran, according to court records.

Benton County deputies were initially called to Underwood’s home by a family member who said Underwood was bleeding heavily, according to dispatch reports at the time.

By the time police arrived, Underwood had died from his wounds. Police found a bloody palm print on the fence separating the Underwood’s and Munguia’s property, according to court records.

Benton County deputies and Kennewick police officers surrounded the area and began searching for a suspect but found no one.